MovieChat Forums > Follow the Fleet (1936) Discussion > The final dance number

The final dance number

posted 15 years ago by kmac44mv
11 replies | jump to latest

One night I fell asleep with the TV on and awoke in time to see only the final dance number of this movie. I was enchanted and mesmerized, the way Fred coaxed Ginger out of some kind of very dark place, emotionally, and slowly you see her
brighten up and join him in the tempo and mood of the dance.

It took me years to finally find the name of the movie so I could see it again.
I described the dance and when someone suggested it might be "Follow The Fleet" I was very doubtful, but sat through the whole movie, waiting, and was rewarded.

It took me awhile to recognize "Lucy" and Harriet Nelson. I've since purchased it so I can watch that dance number whenever I want.

[–] temenos 15 years ago

I have always thought that that song, Let's Face the Music and Dance, was Irving Berlin's way of telling people at the height of the Depression to not despair, that life was still worthwhile.

“There is precious little in civilization to appeal to a Yeti.”

Edmund Hillary

[–] tmaj48 15 years ago

A book about Irving Berlin's career, White Christmas, suggests the opposite
theory--that this song reflected the growing mood of anxiety in the mid-thirties
about the troubles in Europe that would lead to WWII by the end of the decade;
compared to Berlin songs from the earlier films, this song has a more somber,
ominous tone.

I'm not crying, you fool, I'm laughing!

[–] justaudrey 15 years ago

That is my favorite scene of the whole movie and one of my favorite Ginger and Fred dances ever. I love the mood of it and Ginger's dress is awesome!

[–] TooSlim 13 years ago

Not Fred's favorite dress....after taken a shot in the face with the heavy beaded sleeve! I think the only one he hated more was the feather dress in "Cheek to Cheek" from "Top Hat". Or as Fred put it "Feathers, I hate feathers/And I hate them so that I can hardly speak/And I never find the happiness I seek/With those chicken feathers dancing/Cheek to Cheek." Ginger's dresses WERE beautiful but sometimes a pain in the a** to film or dance with!

[–] lotsofwordz 13 years ago

Amazingly, this is almost exactly how I saw it for the first time; and it took me years before I saw the whole film. Like you, I didn't think it could be this film: what, a comedy with Randolph Scott and a monkey? Surely not!

[–] robertc39 13 years ago

Would just like to add my two cents. Anything with Fred and Ginger is worthwhile watching. I just hope that they got along as well in real life as they did in the movies. They don't make them like that any more.

[–] jimmywhale 13 years ago

They don't make them like that any more.

Yeah, and that's too bad! I don't think that anyone today could match the artistry and dedication of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Those two rehearsed until their dance numbers were literally perfect, and it shows. No quick cutaways to disguise any flaws, nor the use of body doubles.

There will never be another partnering like Fred and Ginger.

He was on Planet Earth the whole time!

[–] Errington_92 12 years ago

It was a greatly synchronised sequence which was enhanced by "Let's Face the Music and Dance". Such a fantastic tune you cannot help but be enticed by the music.

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] marhefka 10 years ago

Those two rehearsed until their dance numbers were literally perfect, and it shows. No quick cutaways to disguise any flaws, nor the use of body doubles.

Hermes Pan was the choreographer in all the Astaire-Rogers movies. More than a choreographer, he was also a great dancer. On top of that, he looked a little like Astaire. I've heard that he would dance with Ginger before Ginger started practicing with Fred. What professionals they were!

[–] charcas67 12 years ago

I watched Follow the Fleet for the first time last night. Until "Let's Face the Music and Dance" the movie was pleasant enough fluff with some fine Fred and Ginger dances and catchy Irving Berlin songs. But this number took the movie to a whole other level. It was like a movie within a movie and its story had much more substance and emotion and meaning than anything else in the movie. Beautifully danced and acted by Fred and Ginger with a melancholy though hopeful song by Berlin and fine string arrangement by Irving Berlin. The highlight of the movie by far.